In Defense of the Cowboys’ 1-Technique: Why Mazi Smith Still Matters

There’s been a lot of criticism surrounding the Dallas Cowboys’ 1-technique position lately, especially when it comes to Mazi Smith. After two full seasons, many fans and pundits are calling him a disappointment. But the truth is, that criticism doesn’t take into account the role he’s being asked to play, the realities of his position, or how similar players across the league are used.

Let’s start with this: Mazi Smith plays the 1-technique defensive tackle position. These guys aren’t meant to rack up stats. Their job is to control the line of scrimmage, absorb double teams, and keep linebackers clean. At over 300 pounds, they aren’t going to be every-down players, nor should they be. Watch video from last year and you will see many plays of him doing just that.

Why Year Three Matters

Year three is a critical one for any young player, but especially for someone like Mazi who plays a physically demanding, often thankless position. This offseason, the Cowboys invested in reshaping their defensive identity, including retooling the interior defensive line, and they added Jay Toia, a 325-pound brawler from UCLA. Toia may not be a day-one breakout star, but he brings high upside and can help form a reliable rotation with Mazi.

If Toia gives the Cowboys just 15–20 good snaps a game, and Mazi settles into a 30–35 snap role where he can stay fresh and dominant, that’s a win. The goal isn’t to turn Mazi into a 3-tech pass rusher—it’s to maximize his ability to clog running lanes and collapse the pocket when needed.

Stop Expecting the Wrong Things

We have to adjust our expectations. 1-techs aren’t supposed to play 60 snaps and put up 10 sacks. They’re the foundational pieces that allow others to make big plays. Vita Vea and Dexter Lawrence are two of the most respected names at the position, and even they average around 44 snaps per game. Mazi Smith doesn’t have to be an All-Pro to be effective. He just has to do his job, and do it well, in a role built on physicality and discipline.

This Cowboys front could quietly become one of the more well-balanced units in the NFC if Mazi finds his groove in Year Three and Toia becomes a dependable contributor. So let’s stop writing him off and start looking at the bigger picture.

Training camp will tell us a lot but for now, the panic around the 1-tech spot feels a bit overblown.